Chocolate, confectionery, and biscuit industries rely on production processes that require precise temperature and humidity controls. At the heart of these processes are cooling tunnels that preserve product quality and ensure perfect taste. These tunnels are used to carefully lower the temperature, particularly in chocolate and confectionery production, to achieve the ideal consistency. Cooling tunnels, which are integral to the production of sugar, chocolate, cakes, and biscuits, require the use of dehumidifiers when the cold air used for product cooling inside the tunnels is below the dew point of the external environment, leading to condensation. To maintain product stability at the tunnel exit, dehumidifiers should be integrated into cooling tunnels with the correct engineering infrastructure. Condensation on the product surface at the tunnel exit can cause problems during packaging and can affect the system's sustainability by making the product stick to the conveyor.
For proper air conditioning in the system, factors such as the reference temperature and humidity values of the external environment, tunnel internal operating temperatures, product characteristics, conveyor speed, tunnel internal volume, tunnel entry and exit openings, the number of tunnel layers, and the number of evaporators used in the design are critical. The efficient operation of cooling tunnels is closely related to the correct selection of dehumidifiers and air flow management.
First, a dehumidifier of appropriate capacity should be selected considering the size of the cooling tunnel, operating temperature, and humidity load. The device should be placed in harmony with the air flow inside the tunnel and adjusted with dampers if necessary to ensure homogeneous air distribution. Determining the appropriate air flow rate for the system's needs, with the correct fan selection, ensures that the air flow is evenly distributed to all regions of the tunnel. Maximum efficiency from the dehumidifier is achieved by properly directing the air flow into the device and distributing the dry air to other parts of the tunnel. If the dehumidifier exit is taken from the suction side of the high-pressure fans of the cooling tunnel, healthy air flow to the dehumidifier cannot be ensured, and the dehumidifier will not produce dry air efficiently. The air flow should be in harmony with the temperature control of the cooling tunnel, and the heat difference transferred to the tunnel due to the removal of latent heat (absolute humidity) in the air should be communicated to the tunnel designer.
The dehumidifier must work in harmony with the temperature and humidity levels of the cooling tunnel and be supported by a proper drainage system. Proper drainage of condensation formed by the cooling system inside the tunnel is essential for maintaining internal humidity values. Liquid swept by the cooling tunnel fan can cause humidity fluctuations in the internal environment. Drainage design, fan, and air speed compatibility are as important as the maintenance and accessibility of the device. Regular maintenance and checks of the air flow and distribution system are necessary for efficient system operation. If the dehumidifier selections are not made correctly, the system's performance will be significantly affected. Incorrect choices can lead to issues such as insufficient air flow and temperature imbalances. Additionally, using a dehumidifier of the wrong size or capacity can result in increased energy consumption, noise, vibration levels, and even damage to other system components, leading to failures.
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